♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢

Meanwhile, on another planet—Earth...

A truck, fully loaded with some cargo, diligently drives down an empty road. The weather is very good. The sky is deep blue, and cumulus clouds are beautifully placed. Inside the truck, which is running on a road that seems to have been neglected for a long time, are a father and his young daughter. They are currently moving.

The expression on the child’s face, reflected through the window, is not bright. The child silently looks out at the vast land and the high sky, her face full of worry.

The child stops looking at the scenery outside the window, turns to face forward, and bows her head deeply. The father had been watching every single moment of his daughter. After a brief hesitation, the father quietly calls his daughter’s name.

Dad: Rogi~ Rogi: ...Yes? Dad: I’m sorry. Dad: I decided to move urgently without our Rogi’s permission, didn't I? Dad: I can see a lot of complaint on our Rogi’s face~ Dad: So, Daddy is sorry. Rogi: Complaint? Dad: Huh? Rogi: Dad, what is a complaint?

Rogi has just turned seven. She seems not to know the meaning of the word ‘complaint’. The father explains the meaning of the word to Rogi in detail.

Afterward, Rogi silently bows her head deeply again. Then, suddenly, she remembers a promise she made with her mother. She speaks, forcing an energetic expression.

Rogi: No, Dad! We promised to be strong for Mom, didn't we? Rogi: We must be strong for the day Mom, Dad, and I all live together in one house again! We can’t be worried. Right? Rogi: I promised Mom. I will help Dad! Do you remember the promise with Mom? Dad: Yes, Rogi. Help Daddy a lot. My daughter... Hmm...

The father paused, momentarily choked up with emotion. Suppressing the surging feelings, he managed to speak. Dad: Daddy needs a lot of Rogi's help! Rogi: Don’t worry, Dad! I’ll help with anything! I’ll do everything! For Mom, and for Dad! Dad: Okay, Daddy will be strong too. Our daughter is the best! Rogi: Hahaha! Be strong, Dad! Dad: Yes, Daddy will be strong. Thank you, my daughter...

It was impossible to suppress his emotions any longer. The father simply drove in silence. The blue truck, which had been quietly carrying only moving boxes, was now carrying hope and love.

♦︎ ♦︎ ♦︎ ♦︎ ♦︎

The Red Rooster is still walking through the vast ruins. It seems that the only living creatures there are insects... He proceeds little by little toward his destination, avoiding the insects. When he first passed this place, he was tormented by memories of the time when the past glory was dazzling. But is it because so much time has passed now? His emotions were as dry as a desert.

“Ah... Where is this? Am I going the right way?” “Please... I hope I can reach the Taryn Forest this time...”

The Red Rooster was constantly worried about the insects on his way to the destination. The reason he couldn't light a fire in the pitch darkness was also the fear that the insects would discover his location. In this place where countless buildings and roads are destroyed, he was secretly avoiding the insects' surveillance, using the remnants of the buildings as shields. However, the Red Rooster did not know. The insects had already spotted him and were quietly following his tracks, as if knowing and mocking him...

“Udu-duk!” (A snapping sound)

An unknown sound came from somewhere. Startled by the sudden noise, the Red Rooster screamed and ran away. [Eyes watching him escape in the dark]

“Tch...”

Running frantically, the Red Rooster sees a small, shabby warehouse in front of his eyes.

“Ah! A house, a house!” “Phew, that’s a relief...”

For him, hungry and exhausted, there could be no better place. He quickly surveyed the area around the house for an entrance and was finally able to enter the warehouse.

“Is anyone... there?”

There was no sound. Of course. The only life here was the insects. He quickly closed the warehouse door and sighed with relief. He crouches down in the dark warehouse and mutters.

“Ah... It was cold, so this is a relief... Ugh... I’m hungry...”

The inside of the warehouse was dark, making it difficult to distinguish objects. The Red Rooster moved very slowly, reaching his hands forward to avoid collisions. As time passed, the shapes of objects slowly began to appear inside the warehouse, which had been invisible.

“Oh! A lantern! A lantern... Please, please...”

Discovering a kettle-shaped lantern on a distant table, he desperately hoped there was fuel inside. Of course, he shouldn't have~

“Please... let there be fuel!”

He approached the lantern and cautiously turned the handle.

“Kee-rik... Kee-rik... Ttalgak!” (Creak... Creak... Click!)

Should he call it luck?... There was still fuel left in the lantern, and a small flame began to flicker on the wick. Soon, the darkness inside the warehouse disappeared with the lantern's light. The Red Rooster quietly stares at the lantern. The small flame seemed to melt his frozen heart.. A moment later, he turned around to look at the interior of the warehouse.

“Wow! Hooray, hooray!”

This was a food warehouse. There were countless emergency rations there. The Red Rooster began frantically rummaging through the items. Dried foods and honey were abundant. He, who had been in despair, smiled.

“Hehehe... No way! What is all this!” “Thank you! Ee-hee-hee~”

He gathered the food in one place and was checking each packaged box. Then, he accidentally discovered Strawberry-Nose Chips inside—a cherished memory of him and 'Ina', which she loved so much in the past.

“Ah, this is...?” “How can this hard-to-find item be here!” “Strawberry-Nose Chips!”

He hugged the Strawberry-Nose Chips to his chest and thought of Ina.

“The beautiful memories I shared with Nia back then...” “I miss it. Nia used to like this so much...” "The time when Nia always greeted me when I returned home after work.. My happiness that felt like it would last forever.. Nia’s scent, warmth... I miss everything so much, Nia." [The Red Rooster used to call ‘Ina’ by the nickname ‘Nia’ at the time.]

He opens the box and checks the condition of the Strawberry-Nose balls.

“Hmm... Is it safe to eat this? It should be fine, right?” [The expiration date marked on this product had long since passed and was meaningless now.] The box was full of the sweet scent of the Strawberry-Nose Chips. He cautiously takes a bite.

“Mmm... Incredible! It’s perfectly fine! It’s so delicious! This is it, this is it!” While absentmindedly munching on the crackers, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"I shouldn’t eat all of this precious stuff at once!!" He stops eating, tears welling up in his eyes, and hugs the box.

“Stop eating... Just one when I miss Nia too much. Only one at a time. There's not much left... Eung-eung...” (Sobbing) It was then. A rustling sound—“Buseureok, buseureok”—of something moving came through the warehouse vent. Extremely startled, the Red Rooster screamed without realizing it and stretched both hands skyward, simultaneously scattering all the Strawberry-Nose Chips into the air. The precious crackers poured down like rain before the Red Rooster’s eyes, onto the dusty warehouse floor. Now... they were dirty and could no longer be eaten.

“I tried to save them, but... what is this!!!” [He trembles and stares at the Strawberry-Nose Chips spilled on the floor.]

“Hmm... Should I eat this...?” The Red Rooster fell into deep contemplation. His mind was focused only on the crackers.

With his attention completely distracted by the Strawberry-Nose Chips, a black shadow appeared in the crack of the door, cast by the moonlight. It was a very dangerous situation for him, but the Red Rooster was already preoccupied with something else. Then, suddenly, he realized that the lantern's light was exposing his location.

“Ah, the light! I have to put it out!” The moment he was about to rush to the lantern, a knocking sound came from behind the door.

[Knock, Knock] The Red Rooster froze in fear, as if his breath had stopped.

“It's over... It's the insects. My location has been exposed...” The knocking sound comes again.

[Knock]

The Red Rooster trembled with extreme fear. Then, the doorknob slowly turns, and the door begins to open. The Red Rooster was afraid, but he planned to use his hidden card of hope in the end.

“Since it has come to this... I’ll face it head-on!”

[Kiii-eek—] (A creaking sound) The sound of the door opening gives him goosebumps. The door opens, and a giant insect stands blocking the entrance. The insect mutters.

“Hmm... Red Rooster. I have located you.” “And a most... delectable aroma is emanating?”